Disney’s first film of the summer.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Although Walt Disney Studios is currently raking in the dough from last month’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the studio’s first film of the actual summer season is gearing up for release on May 16 – Million Dollar Arm, the true story of two boys from India who became pitchers in the MLB.
The film stars Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”), Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi), and Madhur Mittal (Slumdog Millionaire), and also features Academy Award-winner Alan Arkin (Argo), Bill Paxton (Titanic), and Indian-origin comedian Asif Mandvi (Spider-Man 2).
Hamm plays the role of J.B. Bernstein, a real-life sports agent who fell on hard times about 10 years ago. While flipping channels one night, he came across Indians playing cricket, and realized that the mechanics of both cricket and baseball were remarkably similar.
Bernstein hopped on a plane and flew to India, where he created the “Million Dollar Arm” television show. Thousands of Indians from across the nation competed on the show, with the prize being that the winners would get to come to the US and stand a chance at joining the MLB.
The winners were Rinku Singh (Sharma) and Dinesh Patel (Mittal), but the two 18 year-old boys face difficulties as they adapt to a new sport, a new country, and a new home.
Those wishing to view the film completely unencumbered by the facts should perhaps stop reading, but the true story ends with both young men signing deals with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their contracts, ultimately short-lived though they were, made them the first-ever Major League Baseball (MLB) players of Indian origin. Singh and Patel signed contracts worth $10,000 each, but succumbed to inflated expectations and injuries.
In an interview with the USA Today, both men commented on what the experience will be like to see Million Dollar Arm for the very first time.
“It’s going to be a very emotional night,” said Patel (24), who was released from his contract during the 2010 baseball season. Patel said just as much, saying that although he’s not still in the MLB, “all my dreams have come true.”
Disney is going all-out to promote the film, inundating TV channels (especially ESPN, part of its corporate family) with ads and putting up billboards in all major US metropolitan areas. The company even set up a pitching competition in New York City last month to drum up hype for the film.
As it should – Million Dollar Arm will face serious competition on its all-important opening weekend. Also debuting on screens around the world on May 16 is Godzilla, the latest film from Warner Bros. Studios featuring the giant Japanese lizard who wreaks havoc on unsuspecting port cities. The film is expected to do huge business, with an all-star cast and a sizeable marketing campaign behind it.
Million Dollar Arm, however, should appeal to a slightly different crowd, and will likely do reasonably strong business given its far more modest budget. In addition to its talent in front of the camera, the film has renowned Indian maestro A.R. Rahman, who won two Academy Awards for his work on Slumdog Millionaire, as its composer. The film is also directed by Australian filmmaker Craig Gillespie.
The trailer for Million Dollar Baby can be viewed below: